Wednesday, February 14, 2007

Death certificates for aborted fetuses

Legislation introduced in Tennessee would require death certificates for aborted fetuses, which likely would create public records identifying women who have abortions.

Rep. Stacey Campfield, a Republican, said his bill would provide a way to track how many abortions are performed. He predicted it would pass in the Republican-controlled Senate but would have a hard time making it through the Democratic House...

The number of abortions reported to the state Office of Vital Records is already publicly available. The office collects records — but not death certificates — on abortions and the deaths of fetuses after 22 weeks gestation or weighing about 1 pound.

The identities of the women who have abortions are not included in those records, but death certificates include identifying information such as Social Security numbers.

As Nez comments:

Yes, good idea. And I can see how Republicans would be for keeping track of deaths by the intensity with which they are pushing for a body count in Iraq.

It's an interesting experiment in time-travel this fella is proposing. You know, getting your death certificate before you have cause to be given a birth certficate.

Most interestingly, this little snifter of Tennessee poison proposes the attachment of a woman's SS# on the Death Certificate. I suppose...so they can make sure to affix the proper number of gold stars on her TIA profile? It's very thoughtful of Mr. Campfield (R-TN). Maybe we should thank him.

While I'm linking to The Unapologetic Mexican, check out this post on the bravery Obama is displaying, and the poor quality of much of the reporting on him and his campaign.

6 Comments:

Well, I hope this has been said by someone else but I guess not. These are people who believe in a god and there is no god, zeus jesus etc.. Until we quit letting these people by propped up by failed fundamentalists ( moderate christian , jews and muslims) what can we expect. There is no easter bunny, santa or god! So lets start thinking and listen and question and be skeptical like scientists or end up with a society driven towards the apocalypse (globl warming, climate change whatever).

Ugh. You've got to just stand back for a second and marvel at the disingenuousness. I mean, NOBODY actually believes this kind of legislation could possibly pass - it's just about keeping this abortion=murder rhetoric in circulation with any semblance of legitimacy. Disgusting.

Thanks, Pete! I felt a little inspired, and I'm glad you enjoyed them.

And lily, I know what you mean. On the other hand, is TN the state where a town tried to ban gays from entering the municipal limits? Who knows what people think will pass there. I also think a lot of it is about trying to scare women who get abortions by threatening, however improbably, to put their SSNs on file with the state.